Cholinergic neurons and terminal fields revealed by immunohistochemistry for the vesicular acetylcholine transporter. II. The peripheral nervous system

• Published in: Neuroscience 1998-05, Vol.84 (2), p.361-376
• Main Authors: Schäfer, M.K.-H, Eiden, L.E, Weihe, E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcholine - metabolism; aminergic; Animals; autonomic nervous system; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier Proteins - analysis; Carrier Proteins - biosynthesis; choline acetyltransferase; cholinergic; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Ganglia - cytology; Ganglia - metabolism; Immunohistochemistry; Membrane Transport Proteins; Nerve Fibers - metabolism; Nerve Fibers - ultrastructure; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - metabolism; Organ Specificity; Parasympathetic Nervous System - cytology; Parasympathetic Nervous System - metabolism; Peripheral Nerves - cytology; Peripheral Nerves - metabolism; Peripheral nervous system. Autonomic nervous system. Neuromuscular transmission. Ganglionic transmission. Electric organ; Rats; sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation; Sympathetic Nervous System - cytology; Sympathetic Nervous System - metabolism; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; vesicular acetylcholine transporter; Vesicular Transport Proteins
• ISSN: 0306-4522; 1873-7544
• DOI: 10.1016/S0306-4522(97)80196-0

The peripheral sympathetic and parasympathetic cholinergic innervation was investigated with antibodies directed against the C-terminus of the rat vesicular acetylcholine transporter. Immunohistochemistry for the vesicular acetylcholine transporter resulted in considerably more detailed visualization of cholinergic terminal fields in the peripheral nervous system than reported previously and was well suited to also identify cholinergic perikarya. Vesicular acetylcholine transporter immunoreactivity completely delineated the preganglionic sympathetic terminals in pre- and paravertebral sympathetic ganglia, and in the adrenal medulla as well as postganglionic cholinergic neurons in the paravertebral chain. Cholinergic terminals of sudomotor and vasomotor nerves of skeletal muscle were optimally visualized. Mixed peripheral ganglia, including periprostatic and uterovaginal ganglia, exhibited extensive preganglionic cholinergic innervation of both noradrenergic and cholinergic postganglionic principal neurons which were intermingled in these ganglia. Varicose vesicular acetylcholine transporter-positive fibres and terminals, representing the cranial parasympathetic innervation of the cerebral vasculature, of salivary and lacrimal glands, of the eye, of the respiratory tract and of the upper digestive tract innervated various target structures including seromucous gland epithelium and myoepithelium, respiratory epithelium, and smooth muscle of the tracheobronchial tree. The only macrovascular elements receiving vesicular acetylcholine transporter-positive innervation were the cerebral arteries. The microvasculature throughout the viscera, with the exception of lymphoid tissues, the liver and kidney, received vesicular acetylcholine transporter-positive innervation while the microvasculature of limb and trunk skeletal muscle appeared to be the only relevant somatic target of vesicular acetylcholine transporter innervation. Vesicular acetylcholine transporter immunoreactivity was particularly useful for identification of parasympathetic intrinsic ganglia, and their terminal fields, in heart, uterus, and other peripheral organs receiving parasympathetic innervation. Extensive vesicular acetylcholine transporter-positive terminal fields were apparent in both atrial and ventricular tissues of the heart targeting cardiomyocytes as well as cardiac microvessels. Pericardiac brown adipose tissue was also supplied by vesicular acetylcholine transporter-positive varicose